It’s hot outside but there are ways to make it more bearable
THE summer heat is well and truly upon us and the long, hot days can test the patience of most of us at times. There are few who are not affected by the heat in one way or another. How did we ever live without air conditioning at home, in the office and in cars? Yet we did. How quickly luxuries are taken for granted.
Running around doing errands or travelling to and from work at lunchtime in the ever-increasing traffic can be tiresome and frustrating. Siesta time was created as a time to create a necessary reprieve from the heat of the day.
And it still holds true to stay cool and indoors, if possible, during the middle of the day. The old saying, ‘Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun’, has a lot of truth in it. If you sunbathe during the midday hours, the body greatly overheats and dehydrates, increasing hot flushes in menopausal women.
Summer is a time to benefit from eating more cooling foods than heating foods, especially at lunchtime. Lots of fruit and salads are very beneficial, watermelon and cucumbers are especially cooling foods. To enjoy a better level of comfort, it is better not to take drinks and foods that increase the heat of the body, such as coffee, alcohol (including wine), spicy foods, red meat, pickled foods, onions, garlic, chillies or ginseng. The exception to this is Brazilian ginseng, which is an adaptogen and therefore has a balancing effect and is not heating for the body.
The body must maintain a certain temperature for healthy metabolic functioning. When it overheats, the internal fire, known as agni in Ayurveda, becomes too strong. This can aggravate a host of internal problems such as profuse sweating, skin problems, high blood pressure, stomach problems, nervousness, restlessness, sleeplessness or feelings of weakness. Too much fire in the body increases stress. It also depletes the body fluids and disrupts metabolic functioning. The long-term effects of overheating can deplete the body’s ability to fight off infections and result in a predisposition toward getting colds and viruses in winter due to impaired immune functioning.
Drink lots and lots of water so as not to dehydrate – one and a half litres a day (not ice cold, which shocks the stomach and upsets the gastric juices) is recommended for most people. When I test people with Kinesiology, I find the majority of people are dehydrated and acidic, this can get worse during the summer months and that is why many people feel overtired and exhausted during the summer, because they don’t realise how dehydrated they are.
It is also useful to drink at least one cup of Quebra Pedra tea a day to clean the kidneys and ureters (this can be drunk hot or cold). By cleaning the kidneys, which are the body’s filters, it makes it easier for the body to absorb the water that is being taken in and it helps purify the blood. The cleaner the blood, the better the organs of detoxification work and this improves metabolism, which then increases energy levels.
When it comes to which herbs or supplements to take during summer, I always recommend Rio Guarana. It is the best herb to take during the heat because it is a natural energy booster and a tonic, which helps the body adjust to the summer heat. Rio Guarana (the pure seed, not extracts or tinctures) is one of the popular herbs today and is used by people all over the world including athletes and people who lead busy and stressful lives. It is also very helpful when travelling or to cope with jetlag. Rio Guarana comes from the Amazon. The South American people take it daily as part of their diet to energise them and especially when it is hot or when going on long treks. One of the interesting things about Rio Guarana is that you can take it ongoing for long periods of time or just take it on the days you need it. Whenever you feel your energy is low or you could do with an extra lift, take Rio Guarana. It should be taken in the mornings or lunchtime but not later in the day.
The ancient secret of Rio Guarana was known to the Amazonian Indians for centuries. When Rio Guarana was first brought to the West it was used by acupuncturists, who discovered that Guarana could unblock the energy channels and thereby increase the energy flow. Measuring the energy flow after taking Rio Guarana with the latest Vegatest instruments has shown some very interesting results. A definite change is detected in the meridians (the energy channels of the body) after taking Guarana for even a short period of time. From these tests, it is apparent that Rio Guarana has an important energy balancing action in the body.
As well as being an energy booster, which makes it invaluable during summer, Rio Guarana is also a general tonic and pick me up whenever you feel under the weather, depressed or headachy or for people who work too much or suffer from constant fatigue.
Rio Guarana is available from health food shops and selected pharmacies.
l Maggie Erotokritou is the author of Radiant Woman, Every Woman’s Guide to Health, Healing and Rejuvenation. For further information contact 22 494699 or [email protected]
